V&A PUTS BIKE DOCK CYCLE PARKING ON DISPLAY

September 2010

The Victoria & Albert Museum in Central London has become the latest high profile public building to install secure cycle parking equipment from the award-winning Bike Dock Solutions.

The estates team at the V&A invited Bike Dock to supply and install new bike stands in part due to an increase in the use of cycles to reach the site and also by a decision to refurbish an area of the site that had previously been used for cycle parking. The new racks have been installed at several points around the Victoria & Albert Museum’s internal road.

In total, 40 traditional Sheffield stands, powder coated in a specially mixed colour to match existing classic street furniture, have been installed. The Sheffield Stands are fabricated locally from highly durable 50mm mild steel tube and are a good value, low maintenance and minimalist solution to bike parking, where the shape allows the bike frame and wheel to both be securely locked on to the stand.

The V&A is the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 4.5 million objects. Founded in 1852, it covers an area of some 12.5 acres and boasts 145 galleries.

“Bike Dock has a very good selection of equipment on its web site and we found them very good at interpreting our needs,” explains the V&A’s estates manager, Bob Pavey. “We still need to educate some bike riders to use the racks and not just to tie up at a point close to their office, but we’re getting there.”

“In the UK, a bicycle is stolen every minute and less than 5% of those are returned to their owners,” explains Bike Dock Solutions’ Josh Coleman. “Cyclists are more likely to have their bikes stolen than motorcyclists their motorcycle or car owners and cycle theft is the single greatest deterrent to cycle use after road safety fears.”

NO GREEN COMPROMISE NEEDED AS BIKE DOCK LAUNCHES THE RE-CYCLE SHELTER

September 2010

Bike Dock Solutions, the specialist provider of practical and secure cycle parking solutions, has launched the ReCycle Shelter, whose sustainable wood exterior makes it an ideal choice for those seeking an environmentally sustainable option.

An estimated five million people regularly cycle in the UK, something that the Government is keen to support through its Cycle to Work Scheme, part of the Green Transport Plan, reinforcing the importance of secure, sustainable cycle parking facilities.

The mild steel shelter, which is fitted with sustainable wood clad panels, is supplied with bolt-down fixings. It is available in a hot dipped galvanised or polyester powder coated RAL code colour finish to the BS EN ISO 1461:1999 standard.

The ReCycle Shelter complies with secure storage as required by the Code for Sustainable Homes. It is supplied with no-climb end frames with anti-vandal panels and a no crawl under perimeter. It has an anti-vandal 5mm polycarbonate roof and can be supplied with optional steel mesh swing gates come with latch and padlock. It also comes with galvanised cycle parking toastracks as standard.

Single units can be placed alongside or opposite each other, to form larger cycle storage areas.

The ReCycle shelter can help contribute towards gaining ENE8 Cycle storage credits when used in the appropriate situation, under the Code for Sustainable Homes

Whatever the design, however, Bike Dock Solutions ensures that functionality and security are central to the design because, if cyclists don't like the rack, they won't use it.They will lock their bike to the nearest railing or lamppost instead. Therefore, all custom bike racks are designed to function with the design of the bike, so they won't be misused.

For more information, visit www.bikedocksolutions.com

Ends Notes to editors:

About Bike Dock Solutions

Bike Dock Solutions designs and installs the kind of practical and secure bicycle parking that helps to meet this need. The company also has a strong focus on the impact that its business has on the environment, so it manufactures its products locally to keep emissions to a minimum. It is also the first bicycle parking provider in the UK to manufacture many of its products from recycled steel.

Media information Dave Gibson or Howard Robinson Tel: 01376 563156 Quay West Communications Fax: 01376 562651 Email: d.gibson@quay-west.co.uk or h.robinson@quay-west.co.uk